


His and Hers

by AlexaNDYE



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Spoilers, civil war spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexaNDYE/pseuds/AlexaNDYE
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers (maybe) for CA:Civil War. Pepperony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	His and Hers

**Author's Note:**

> There's a rumor going around that Pepper and Tony are on a break in CA:Civil War. Apparently the 'break' was to protect Pepper.
> 
> This is just something I came up with when I read about the rumor.
> 
> Personally, I don't think it's real. I really don't want it to be real. We'll have to wait until the movie comes out.
> 
> Enjoy!

One of the waitresses moved behind the counter and began to fold a dishrag that sat in front of her. “I swear to god, if I hear that man complain one more time—“ She looked at one of the waitresses with a glare that could make a man cower in fear.

 

“Um, I ordered a coffee two minutes ago! C’mon, now. It’s not that hard!” The man at the far end of the diner yelled as he waved his arm in the air. His tone was playful and he was smiling like a goofball.

 

Jill, the manager, smirked, and consoled the waitress. “He’s a paying customer, Lois.”

 

Lois scoffed, “I don’t care if he’s the President of the United States. He is getting on my nerves, and I will not hesitate to throw his ass out. He’s been here almost every single day, always whining about something.”

 

“Hey, Rebecca,” Jill called the waitress that was wiping down one of the tables. Rebecca folded her rag and tucked it into her back pocket. As she approached the counter, Jill jabbed her thumb in the direction of the noisy man. “He seems to shut up when you’re around.”

 

Rebecca smirked and made her way over to the man.

 

Tony lowered his glasses and raised his eyebrows as Rebecca, the redheaded, and very cute, waitress, approached him. His smile widened upon her undivided attention. “Pleasure seeing you here.”

 

“You say the same thing every time.”

 

“It’s the truth.” He leaned closer to her, avoiding the plate of scraps from his breakfast. “Seeing you is _quite_ the pleasure.”

 

Rebecca tried not to laugh, but a small one slipped past her lips. “What are you complaining about this time, hm?”

 

“I’m not complaining,” he said as he held his hands up defense. “I’m just waiting for my coffee.”

 

“You could be a little quieter about waiting then, hm?” Rebecca suggested as she leaned in to grab the finished plate of food.

 

Tony’s eyes caught the necklace that slipped out of Rebecca’s shirt. The sunlight hit it perfectly, making the heart shaped ruby pop and sparkle. Light bounced off of the silver slivers that lined the chain. His heart was nearly caught in this throat.

 

“Nice necklace.”

 

Rebecca’s smile widened as her fingers danced along the chain. “Thanks.”

 

“Who gave it to you?” Tony asked in curiosity. “Friend?” A frown appeared. “Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend, don’t you? I knew it.” The redhead could hear the jealousy in his tone, and she responded with a low, breathy laugh.

 

“No. I’m not sure who gave it to me, actually. It was delivered to my doorstep yesterday, but there was no return address. No card, or a name to go with it.”

 

“Sounds like you have a secret admirer.”

 

“Perhaps.” She fancied the idea, but didn’t dwell on it any further.

 

Tony glanced down at the necklace one more time. “Looks kind of tacky, don’t you think?”

 

Rebecca shrugged. “I thought it did at first, but it kind of grew on me. There’s something about it… I’m not sure. I feel like it belongs to me somehow – like it was always mine, you know?”

 

Tony forced a smile, but it came out small and apologetic. “Yeah.”

 

Lois came by moments later with a cup of coffee, a spoon, and a few sugar cubes. “Here’s your coffee, Sir.”

 

“Thanks,” Tony muttered.

 

Lois looked between the two of them and then gave the redhead a suggestive look. She could tell the man was being a flirt, but Rebecca seemed immune to his charm. Tony didn’t call the redhead back when she left his booth to attend some of the other customers at the other end of the diner. He didn’t press further about the necklace, or the eyesore of a Limited Edition Dora the Explorer watch she wore around her wrist.

 

He didn’t comment on the particularly soft shade of blue that was her eyes, how cute her dimples were when she smiled, or how delightful her freckles were as they peppered the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

 

He couldn’t.

 

He wasn’t allowed to.

 

She is—was—after all, not his. Not anymore.

 

During the events of the little fiasco with Captain America, government officials, and other worldly dangers, Tony Stark made an incredibly hard decision – the hardest he’s ever had to make in his life.

 

He didn’t make it on a whim. He consulted Rhodey, Happy, his teammates, his friends, and his family. Some told him no, and some told him yes, but in the end, he had the final say.

 

Pepper Potts went under a program designed by the old SHIELD, but picked up by Tony. If by some chance a person of interest was in danger and could no longer be protected by SHIELD, they would go under one of SHIELD’s witness protection program. Their memory would be wiped, their identity would be changed, but they would be kept under surveillance in case they were ever compromised.

 

The only thing that kept Tony upright and sane during the whole process was Rhodey and Happy. They consoled him and told him he had made the right choice, and while his heart broke in front of the woman he loved so much, deep down, he knew it was the only choice.

 

Pepper was his anchor that kept him grounded, giving him unconditional love and support. She had been there during his worse times and his best times. She fought along side him and never doubted him, and thus was why he made the decision.

 

Tony would rather live in a world where she was no longer his than live in a world where she was no longer alive.

 

Tony laughed at the idea as he dropped a sugar cube in his coffee.

 

She was never ‘his’. He was always ‘hers’.

 

Always.

 

\---

 

Coulson reassured Tony that he would have his agents keep any eye on Pepper and let him know immediately if anything goes wrong, but Tony couldn’t stay away.

 

He visited Pepper at the diner, complained about every little thing and made a fuss until the fiery redhead visited him personally. He couldn’t help but flirt and joke with her. It was almost on instinct. It was a habit he could never let go.

 

Although her name was Rebecca, she was still, and always will be, his Pepper.

 

\---

 

He did not have Friday hack into the diner’s system and look up her work schedule.

 

He did not send the redhead gifts, money, and tickets to her favorite concerts.

 

He did not accidentally say ‘Pepper’ instead of ‘Rebecca’ after a long, stressful, and tiring day of dealing with a global threat.

 

He did not ask her on a date.

 

She did not say yes after the fifth time he asked her.

 

He did not take her to a fancy restaurant, or a long, romantic walk in Central Park.

 

She did not kiss him goodnight on the cheek.

 

He did not ask her on a second date.

 

She did not ask to pick the place.

 

He was not surprised when she took them to a hotdog stand on the street.

 

He was not scolded by Rhodey, Happy, and most of his teammates when they found out he was seeing her.

 

He did not moan ‘Pepper’ in her ear as they made love, and he did not bite back the tears when she moaned ‘Tony’.

 

\---

 

Pepper was always smart – maybe even smarter than Tony (he liked to play with the idea).

 

Rebecca stared down at one of the pictures she kept when she and Tony went to a local food festival together.

 

Tony was on the edge of her bed, slipping on his socks and shoes when he heard her voice – a soft whisper. “I’m not Rebecca.” His heart pounded in his chest as she paused. “Am I.” It was not a question. It was a statement.

 

He did not face her, but continued tying the laces of his shoes. “What makes you say that?”

 

“You keep saying ‘Pepper’.”

 

He doesn’t answer. She insinuates that there’s another woman, but he tells her there isn’t. He maps out the freckles on her face and kisses as many as he can. He convinces her it’s the freckles that inspired the nickname, and she believes him.

 

It’s dangerous – very dangerous, he realizes.

 

He is reminded of her new identity.

 

He does not call her ‘Pepper’ anymore, and she almost misses it. Almost.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me I'm Satan @ tripnskip.tumblr.com


End file.
